Spend in Thailand

Here are some general observations on costs in Thailand. At the time of writing, the conversion rate was around 30 baht per US Dollar.

A small bottle of water will run 5 to 10 baht in a store, 20 or so baht in a hotel or restaurant.

A large bottle of Singha or Chang Beer will cost 40 or so baht in a store, 80 or so in a restaurant or hotel. Small cans run 20 and 40, the first being store prices and the second being restaurant prices. Singha tends to be 5 or so baht more expensive than Chang.

Bus costs depend upon the type of bus, but it appears that the following are decent planning figures:
– A pickup-truck type bus will run about 1 baht per kilometer.
– A low-end, inter-city bus without air conditioning (think school bus) will run about half a baht per kilometer.
– An air-conditioned bus will run about 1 baht per kilometer.
– A top-end minibus (think 12 passenger van) will run about 3 baht per kilometer.

Tuk-Tuks are a wild card. Prices vary by town and distance. One thing of which you can almost always be certain is that the first quoted price is high. Give a counter-offer. Also, inquire with your hotel about the normal rates for different distances, and then insist on those rates. It helps to know how to talk money with the driver.

At a decent restaurant, one person should expect to have a main dish, a serving of rice, and small bottle of water for 100 baht or less. Add in beer at 80 baht for a large bottle.

For lodging, a low-end, A-frame bungalow will run 450 baht or less. A non-air-conditioned basic room should run about the same.

A nice room or bungalow with air-conditioning and its own bathroom should run in the 600 to 1000 baht range.

Anything over 1000 and you are getting into pricey accommodations.

Banks usually charge 1-1/2% to use their ATMs.

Motorbike rental fees average around 200 baht a day. That varies by 50 baht, depending on location and whether you get a manual or automatic bike.

You should be able to get your laundry done for 30 to 50 baht per kilogram at a shop offering that service. You’ll most likely pay a premium at a hotel.

To save money…
– Buy beer in a store and take it to your room.
– Eat where the locals eat, and avoid hotel meals.
– Rent a motorbike to travel, and avoid taxis and tuk-tuks.
– Get your laundry done in town, or hand wash it yourself.
– Look for a decent, mid-range room before charging off to a top-end hotel. The difference in room and service is often very small, but the difference in price can be big.

Expenses for August 31: Chanthaburi to Bangkok Airport, Thailand

Expenses for August 31: Chanthaburi to Bangkok Airport, Thailand

Bus Tickets to Bangkok Airport: 386 baht Water: 20 baht Taxi: 40 baht Taxi: 145 baht Taxi: 80 baht Bellman Tip: 50 baht Room: 1680 baht (thrown away on advance reservations in a joint that turned out to be shit, and we bailed) Room: 5745 baht (on stupidly expensive but acceptably clean airport hotel) Lunch: 1300 baht (at stupidly expensive […]

Expenses for August 24: Chanthaburi to Ko Chang, Thailand

Expenses for August 24: Chanthaburi to Ko Chang, Thailand

Tuk-Tuk to Bus Station: 40 baht Bus Tickets to Trat: 104 baht Water and Gum: 30 baht Sawngtheaw to Pier: 200 baht Ferry Tickets to Ko Chang: 120 baht (one way) Beer: 90 baht Sawngtheaw to Hotel: 200 baht Late lunch: 440 baht Room: 1150 baht TOTAL: 2374 baht

Expenses for August 23: Battamabang, Cambodia to Chanthaburi, Thailand

Expenses for August 23: Battamabang, Cambodia to Chanthaburi, Thailand

Lunch: $8.50 (255 baht equivalent) Snacks: $2.50 (95 baht equivalent) Bus Tickets to Border: $8 (240 baht equivalent) Gifts: $42 (1260 baht equivalent) Moto Ride to border: $1 (30 baht equivalent) Taxi to Chantanburi: 1200 baht Dinner and Beer and Snacks: 560 baht ATM Fee: 150 baht Room: 1380 baht TOTAL: 5170 baht

Expenses for July 7: Vientiane to Nong Khia

Expenses for July 7: Vientiane to Nong Khia

Soda: 10,000 Kip (38 baht equivalent) 3% Credit Card for Hotel Khamvongsa Bill: 37,400 Kip (140 baht equivalent) Taxis and tuk-Tuks: 220 baht Lunch: 185 baht Beer, Water, and Such: 500 baht Dinner: 90 baht Room: 240 baht (after deep discounts for electrical problems and having to change rooms) TOTAL: 1413 baht

Expenses for 8 June: Pai to Lampang

Expenses for 8 June: Pai to Lampang

This was an insanely expensive day, due to air and taxi travel from Pai to Lampang. Here goes… Two Air Tickets from Pai to Chiang Mai: 2598 baht Taxi from Chiang Mai to Elephant Center: 1000 baht Taxi from Elephant Center to Lampang: 600 baht Beer at Chang Thai Resort: 160 Lunch: 160 Beer at Bar: 160 Various Stuff and […]

Expenses for June 10: Lampang to Chiang Rai

Expenses for June 10: Lampang to Chiang Rai

Breakfast: 260 baht Lunch: 220 baht Snacks: 130 baht ATM Fee: 150 baht Two Bottles of Water: 14 baht Two Bus Tickets to Chiang Rai (low end, no aircon): 204 baht Taxi to Hotel: 50 baht Taxi to Town: 60 baht Dinner at The Old Dutch: 500 baht Taxi Back to Hotel: 50 baht Room: 1800 baht TOTAL: 3438 baht

Expenses for 9 June: Lampang

Expenses for 9 June: Lampang

Breakfast: 260 baht Cab to bus Station: 40 baht Bus to Elephant Center: 60 baht Coffee: 50 baht Two Entrance Tickets to Elephant Center: 160 baht Lunch at Elephant Center: 180 baht Bus to Lampang: 80 baht Taxi to Hotel: 40 baht Dinner: 240 baht Shampoo, Razors, Toothpaste and Such: 288 baht Beer and Water at Hotel: 295 baht (yeah, […]